NCJ Number
50379
Date Published
1978
Length
134 pages
Annotation
A 4-YEAR PROGRAM IN WHICH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR REDUCING CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME IN URBAN SETTINGS WERE DEVELOPED AND TESTED IS DOCUMENTED.
Abstract
THE REPORT OUTLINES THE CONCEPTUAL ELEMENTS AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED). IT SUMMARIZES THE CPTED DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS (A COMMERCIAL STRIP IN PORTLAND, ORE., FOUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BROWARD COUNTY, FLA., AND A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.), RESEARCH PROGRAMS, AND DISSEMINATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. IT DESCRIBES THE LESSONS LEARNED IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECTS AND OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS. THE REPORT FOCUSES ON THE SECOND 2 YEARS OF THE PROGRAM DURING WHICH THE PROJECTS WERE IMPLEMENTED AND EVALUATED, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED, RESEARCH AND OTHER PRODUCTS WERE DEVELOPED, AND DISSEMINATION OUTLETS WERE CREATED. CPTED FOCUSES ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. ALL CPTED STRATEGIES ARE BASED ON CONCEPTS OF ACCESS CONTROL, SURVEILLANCE, SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, AND REINFORCEMENT OF POSITIVE MOTIVATION. BENEFITS OF CPTED PROJECTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: TREATMENT OF CRIME PROBLEMS ON VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL SCALES; IDENTIFICATION OF SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM GOALS; ENCOURAGEMENT OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS, OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO URBAN PROBLEMS, AND OF BETTER POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS; DEVELOPMENT OF SECURITY GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS; ASSISTANCE IN URBAN REVITALIZATION; ACQUISITION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS; AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF CRIME PREVENTION POLICIES AND PRACTICES. AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ALL THREE PROJECTS IS THAT THE DEMONSTRATION COMMUNITIES HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND STAFFING. THE CPTED RESEARCH STAFF PRODUCED A MULTIVOLUME PROGRAM MANUAL, A NUMBER OF FOUNDATION DOCUMENTS, TECHNICAL GUIDELINES, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CPTED. DISSEMINATION FUNCTIONS INCLUDED A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REFERRAL SERVICE, A CLEARINGHOUSE, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, POLICY GUIDANCE, AND PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS. THE DEMONSTRATIONS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS MUST INVOLVE LOCAL RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC AGENCIES; PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE COMPLEX AND TIME CONSUMING; MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES ARE REQUIRED FOR LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS; PROJECT PLANNERS AND IMPLEMENTERS MUST HAVE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY LEADERS AND KEY DECISIONMAKERS; SITE SELECTION IS A KEY CONSIDERATION; A PROJECT'S TECHNICAL AND INFORMATIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOULD BE DETERMINED EARLY SO APPROPRIATE SPECIALISTS CAN BE FOUND; AND EVALUATION SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROJECT. THE PROGRAM ALSO IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF UNRESOLVED CONCEPTUAL ISSUES INCLUDING THE DEFINITION AND PARAMETERS OF CPTED, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME, THE DEARTH OF EVIDENCE REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIFIC STRATEGIES, AND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CRIME DISPLACEMENT IS ENGENDERED OR DETERRED BY CPTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)